Thinking about installing fire extinguisher but have questions about spending the money and adding weight when it seems like this is just kind of the thing to do rather then fires that are inevitable somewhere along our flight hours?
Thinking about installing fire extinguisher but have questions about spending the money and adding weight when it seems like this is just kind of the thing to do rather then fires that are inevitable somewhere along our flight hours?
I don't think I would go without. As much as I like to save weight, and as cheap a guy as I am, I try to imagine whether the possible outcome would be people saying, "Well, that dumba**". And honestly if someone lost a plane - or worse yet their life - for lack of a fire extinguisher in an experimental airplane I'd probably be tempted to say that.
what about "multi-purpose dry chemical" extinguishers? They are very cheap. Any good?
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BTW, it's a handy tool for smashing a canopy if you need to, also.
what about "multi-purpose dry chemical" extinguishers? They are very cheap. Any good?
Not the preferred extinguisher for the reasons stated above, BUT if it's one of those or nothing definitely add one. During a fire inflight in the cabin the last thing I'm worried about is the well being of the aircraft.
Boy, you know, we had dozens of pounds to these things when building to guard against any possible situation. The fire extinguisher doesn't seem to me to be the line in the sand.
What's the real downside of having it? What's the downside of not having it?
BTW, it's a handy tool for smashing a canopy if you need to, also.
I have been on the fence on this one for a long time. I guess I am starting to think it is worth having. My hold-up has been that most fires are not going to be fightable from the cockpit. I would be adding a projectile for fighting an instrument panel fire. The components in the panel are suppose to self extinguish when the master is shut off. The FAA, Cessna, Piper, and others apparently do not believe they are necessary. For those that say "Definitely needed", do you also have:
[/- Helmet
- Parachute
- Nomax Flight Suit
- life preservers
- Spare air
- Survival gear
- First Aid Kit
- Hand Held Radio
- Spot Tracker
- Canopy Breaker
- 5 Point Harnesses
LIST]
One could make a compelling Definitely needed argument for all of these, and they have saved may lives.
what about "multi-purpose dry chemical" extinguishers? They are very cheap. Any good?
Do a search here. Lots of info. IIRC, the dry chemical is corrosive and a no no.
But I will say that from your list I am planning to carry in my RV-7:
- fire extinguisher (Club 172 has one as well)
- canopy breaker
- 5 point harness (we have a 4 point in the 172)
- spot tracker (will also do an APRS since I am a HAM guy)
- Hand Held Radio (Carried one in my flight bag since day one). Really handy to have around actually.
- I'll buy a parachute and wear it for when I am doing aero one day.
- As for survival gear and first aid kits, I fly in pretty populated areas, so I don't think I'd be waiting long for rescue services in the event I kicked off my ELT. But, if I ever do a flight over sparsely populated areas, I will probably carry something along the lines.
- Life preserver will only be carried when flying over large bodies of water, where required.
- One forty-five caliber automatic
- Two boxes of ammunition
- Four days' concentrated emergency rations
- One drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine,
vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills
- One miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible
- One hundred dollars in rubles
- One hundred dollars in gold
- Nine packs of chewing gum
- One issue of prophylactics
- Three lipsticks
- Three pair of nylon stockings.
We have sold quite a few of these over the years at the shows... although they aren't worth it fiscally. We just like the product.
They have several advantages over Halon. The spray stays put, non-toxic, non-corrosive, cheap. Spray it on your legs if flames are coming in. Cons: the liquid will freeze (but will thaw out too). More of a mess, but easily wiped up or hosed off.
Blake has a limited number of bottle brackets. I have and will continue to have one in my plane. Makes a nice addition to the Halon, or, in my opinion, a suitable substitute.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fire-Gon...DFbYgsYi8EQMbd_zMBDDjhoCKW3w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Again, an ABC type extinguisher. Although it might be good for an in-flight fire, if you use it on the ground, you run the risk of totalling your airframe or avionics or both.
I have a BC type extinguisher in my hangar for ground fires, although the county came along about 6 months later and insisted on putting in an ABC extinguisher right next to it. I labelled both accordingly, but of course, in the event of a fire it's likely someone is going to just grab whatever is available and use it.
You can only do so much preparation, I guess.
plumbing a tube into the engine compartment to allow discharging a Halon bottle from inside the cockpit and ducting the contents onto an engine fire?
Spring-loaded flap closure might suffice to keep the passageway closed until it was needed to discharge Halon "upstream" into the engine compartment.
Just spitballin'.
Since this is not a dry type, does it cause the same risk to the airframe?
Again, an ABC type extinguisher. Although it might be good for an in-flight fire, if you use it on the ground, you run the risk of totalling your airframe or avionics or both.
I have a BC type extinguisher in my hangar for ground fires, although the county came along about 6 months later and insisted on putting in an ABC extinguisher right next to it. I labelled both accordingly, but of course, in the event of a fire it's likely someone is going to just grab whatever is available and use it.
You can only do so much preparation, I guess.